


Midnight in the Library

by englishbreakfast



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Downton Abbey - Freeform, M/M, Masterpiece Theatre, brit fic, downton - Freeform, pbs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-09-22
Packaged: 2018-02-18 09:14:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2343101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishbreakfast/pseuds/englishbreakfast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carson keeps it tight. Meow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midnight in the Library

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chloe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chloe/gifts).



"Carson." Thomas leaned against the doorframe, his sleeves rolled to the crook of his arm, vest buttons undone. His chest rose and fell quickly over labored breath. "Carson, I need you."

Charles Carson looked up from his desk, his glasses at the tip of his nose. He pulled them off to chew tenderly on the end of his wire frames. "Oh?"

Thomas walked forward, leaning on the desk and pushing his face toward Carson's. A small trickle of sweat ran down his temple, his hair disheveled, chest still heaving. "You've got no idea."

This had become a common occurrence lately, as Thomas became more and more stressed with his duties serving Branson, so Carson was not particularly surprised to see him in disarray, panting above him. At first, Carson had disapproved of Thomas' growing familiarity, running into his office at all hours of the evening, constantly needing advice or support of some kind. But loneliness gets the better of even the most upstanding men, and he'd begun to find Thomas' adoration difficult to eschew. Carson was leaving tomorrow, anyway, without a word to anyone, not even Thomas. So no, it wasn't surprising that Thomas arrived in Carson's office at midnight, as the last bits of his candle flickered weakly. What was surprising, however, was that a desk still separated the two men.

Thomas led him into the library, fingers lightly grazing Carson's hip through his jacket while he spoke. "I just can't get these books straightened." Never mind that book-straightening had never been an actual duty around Downton. Never mind that, had it been, Carson would have been even less capable of the task than Thomas. Never mind that they could be caught at any moment, suspiciously wandering the upstairs while the family slept. Nothing mattered now. Not now that Carson was leaving Downton forever. This was their last night together, and it would be spent in their place. It would be spent in the library. 

It was too much. Carson found no reason to stay at Downton now, not now that he'd sullied his position and all it stood for. He'd loved every moment of his mischief, loved every warm breath that had passed from between Thomas' beautiful lips, loved every second they'd spent alone in this darkened room. But he could no longer look Lord Grantham in the eye at dinner with these secrets ricocheting through his head. Given his propensity for telling the truth, no matter the cost, Carson knew he wouldn't make it much longer without outing Thomas and himself as the sinners they were. The incandescent, passionate, sinning lovers they'd become. 

It had been the false premises that intrigued him, always gave him that giddy fluttering in his stomach that he'd never experienced before. The questions Thomas had needed to ask him in the wee hours of the morning, drawing him from his bed in just a nightshirt. Before, he'd walked a tightrope of perfection that had thrilled him; polishing candlesticks had made his heart race in a way no woman ever had. But Thomas was an enigma, the most beautiful enigma, and now that he'd tasted freedom with Thomas, staying at Downton felt futile.

So he stood in the library, that same candle glimmering away in all its dying glory, his arm against a bookshelf as Thomas stood between him and so many classic pieces of literature, his breath catching in his throat, passion choking him as it never had before. 

"Thomas," Carson breathed. Thomas' eyes twinkled wildly, his lips curled into the most glorious smirk he had ever seen. He exhaled heavily, leaning closer. 

The candle flickered and, in a tiny burst of light, died.


End file.
